Louisiana Pastor Sentenced to Seven Years for Molesting Teenage Girl
Milton Otto Martin III, the former head of the First Pentecostal church in Chalmette, Louisiana, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for molesting a teenage girl. The maximum penalty was imposed by state court judge Darren Roy in a suburban New Orleans courtroom, following a survivor's emotional plea for justice.
Survivor's Statement Details Abuse and Trauma
In a statement delivered on Wednesday, the survivor, now 30 years old, described how Martin repeatedly molested her when she was between 15 and 17 years old, approximately 15 years ago. She recounted that Martin would blame her for his crimes, claiming he could not resist the temptation she presented, and warned her that her "world would turn upside down" if she reported the abuse.
The survivor's statement highlighted the profound and lasting impact of the abuse, affecting her parenting, trust, and faith. She expressed ongoing struggles with anxiety, anger, shame, and guilt, stating, "What he did to me was selfish, despicable and egregious – utterly evil." Despite this, she emphasized her commitment to not letting the abuse define her life.
Legal Proceedings and Verdict
Martin was initially charged with felony carnal knowledge, Louisiana's term for statutory rape, for engaging in oral sex with the victim when she was 16 around 2011. He also faced charges of indecent behavior, defined as any "lewd or lascivious act" on a minor. In December, a jury acquitted him of carnal knowledge, which could have carried up to 10 years in prison, but convicted him of indecent behavior.
Judge Roy noted that he received over 100 letters of support for Martin, but these did not sway his decision. He described the crimes as recurrent and "exceptionally severe, with permanent injury to the victim." Martin did not speak at the sentencing and must register as a sex offender.
Broader Context of Clergy Abuse in New Orleans
This case is separate from the decades-old clergy molestation scandal involving the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans, which led to a $305 million settlement in December 2024 for hundreds of abuse survivors. However, connections exist between the two matters.
Louisiana state police detective Scott Rodrigue investigated both Martin and retired Catholic priest Lawrence Hecker, a serial child molester who was sentenced to life imprisonment before dying in custody at age 93 in December 2024. Rodrigue's work also spurred a wider inquiry into whether the archdiocese operated a child sex-trafficking ring, though no superiors have been charged as of Wednesday.
The survivor's attorney, John Denenea, who also represented victims in the archdiocese bankruptcy, stated that he hopes the maximum sentence sends a message that "pedophiles and their enablers will not escape the justice system." Authorities interviewed several other alleged victims of Martin, but the trial involved only two, with charges pertaining to one survivor.
The survivor concluded her statement by expressing hope that the sentencing delivers justice not just for her, but for all affected by Martin's betrayal of trust and authority.
